Shoe sole protector

ABSTRACT

A protective cover for keeping the soles of sport shoes dry and clean when leaving the sports arena, comprising two co-extensive, superposed plies of a flexible plastic sheet material of elongated ellipsoidal conformation stitched together along their periphery by two parallel, relatively spaced seams which form a peripheral sheath that is left open at the narrow ends of the ellipsoid for threading through it a cord of elastic material leaving both its ends protruding from one of said open areas. One of the external surfaces of the plies may be roughened.

United States Patent 1 1 1 1 3,808,712

Elliott May 7, 1974 SHOE SOLE PROTECTOR [76] Inventor: Robert L. Elliott, 2222 Alemany Primary Exammer pamck Lawson Bld., San Francisco, Calif. 941 12 221 Filed: Apr. 2, 1973 [571 ABSTRACT [21] Appl. No.: 346,840 A protective cover for keeping the soles of sport shoes dry and clean when leaving the sports arena, comprising two co-extensive, superposed plies of a flexible U68. Cl. plastic heet material of elongated ellipsoidal conformation stit hed together along their periphery two Fleld Search R, parallel, relatively spaced seams which form a periph- 36/72 R eral sheath that is left open at the narrow ends of the ellipsoid for threading through it a cord of elastic ma- [56] References C'led terial leaving both its ends protruding from one of said UNITED STATES PATENTS open areas. One of the external surfaces of the plies 1,877,080 9/1932 Teshima 36 7.5 may be roughened- 3,040,45l 6/1962 Hilkemeyer... 36/75 3,263,348 8/1966 Cohen et al 36/72 R 4 Clams 2 Drawmg Fgures PATENTEMY 7 I974 T'III-l Z SHOE SOLE PROTECTOR BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a problem encountered by bowlers and other sportsmen engaged in sports that require running and sudden stops. When advancing rapidly toward the bowling alley to throw the ball, it is essential that the approach to the alley be absolutely dry and free of dirt or obstructions, and the same is true for the soles of the shoes of the bowler, otherwise he may slip and misplace or misdirect the ball and fall and come to harm. The floors of lavatories, and refreshment places, such as bars and restaurants associated with bowling alleys, however, are often wet and dirty and are liable to soil the soles of the shoes of the players who visit them; and it may become necessary for bowlers to change their shoes before they go to, and after they come back from, these places to avoid the dangers of wet and dirty soles. This is cumbersome and time-consuming, and the players may forget to do so, with the adverse consequences mentioned above.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION Object of the invention is to provide protection against the danger of wetting or otherwise soiling the soles of a sportsman s shoes.

More specifically it is an object of the invention to provide a protective cover for the soles of a bowlers shoes, that is quickly and easily slipped on and that is quickly and easily taken off.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a protective cover, of the type referred to, that is inexpensive, easy to manufacture and of simple construction.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The present invention will best be understood from the following description of the accompanying drawing which illustrates a preferred embodiment thereof and wherein FIG. 1 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of the protective cover of my invention; and

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of a bowling shoe with the protective cover of the invention applied thereto.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION The device of the invention comprises two coextensive, superposed sheets or plies and 12 of a thin, flexible plastic sheet material, such as what is known as Taffeta Vinyl, having a conformation resembling the enlarged contour of an average foot; i.e., roughly the shape of an elongated ellipsoid. These plies are stitched together along their edges by two relatively spaced seams l4 and 16 which form a circumferential channel or sheath 18 along the periphery of the plies of sheet material. The stitching is such that the sheath 18 has an interruption 20, i.e., is left open, preferably at the narrow end of the ellipsoid corresponding to the heel of the human foot, and through said opening or interruption a cord of elastic material 22 is threaded in such a manner that its two ends 22aand 22b protrude to a significant extent from the opening 20. To facilitate the threading operation, another opening or interruption 24 may be provided in the sheath 18 at the toe end of the ellipsoid. The size, i.e., the length and width of the layers of sheet material is not critical and may vary. However, I have found that blanks of a maximum over all length of 17 1/2 inches and a maximum width of 10 inches will result in an article that will fit practically all shoes or boots, provided the cord 20 is of sufficient elasticity.

In use the player places one of his shoes 25 onto the described article, folds its edges up overthe lower part of the shoe, pulls at the protruding ends 22a and 22b of the cord until it tightens the folded edge area of the cover onto the shoe, and then he ties the ends of the cord into a tie or knot as shown at 26 in FIG. 2. The appliance of the invention may now easily be taken off from the shoe due to the elasticity of the cord, and it is then ready for practical use. Whenever a player wishes to leave the sports arena, he simply slips the protector over his shoe without need to take the shoes off, and when he returns to the sports arena, the protector can easily and quickly be taken off. The device of the invention is of a simple and inexpensive construction. It is easy to make. The same blank may be sued for either foot depending upon which side of the blank the shoe is placed initially before tieing the cord ends 22a and 22b together. I have found it advantageous to roughen the outer surfaces of the blanks 10 or 12, such as shown at 28 in FIG. 1, i.e., mold them with shallow grooves and ridges or crests criss-crossing one of their surfaces. Thus, whatever blank forms the outer bottom surface of the device when it is slipped over a shoe or boot, provides better traction and reduces the danger that the wearer may slip on wet or oily surfaces in lavatories, bars or restaurants.

I claim:

l. A protective cover for sportshoes to keep their soles dry and clean when temporarily leaving the sports arena, comprising two superposed coextensive plies of a thin, flexible, plastic sheet material of elongated substantially ellipsoid conformation, having a pair of relatively spaced parallel seams along their periphery to secure them to each other while forming a circumferential sheath, and received in said sheath with both its ends protruding therefrom at one point thereof a cord of elastic material.

2. A protective cover according to claim 1 wherein said seams have an interruption at one of the narrow ends of the ellipsoid for the ends of the cord to protrude therefrom.

3. A protective cover according to claim 1 wherein said seams have interruptions at the two narrow ends of the ellipsoid.

4. A protective cover according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said plies has a roughened outer surface. 

1. A protective cover for sportshoes to keep their soles dry and clean when temporarily leaving the sports arena, comprising two superposed coextensive plies of a thin, flexible, plastic sheet material of elongated substantially ellipsoid conformation, having a pair of relatively spaced parallel seams along their periphery to secure them to each other while forming a circumferential sheath, and received in said sheath with both its ends protruding therefrom at one point thereof a cord of elastic material.
 2. A protective cover according to claim 1 wherein said seams have an interruption at one of the narrow ends of the ellipsoid for the ends of the cord to protrude therefrom.
 3. A protective cover according to claim 1 wherein said seams have interruptions at the two narrow ends of the ellipsoid.
 4. A protective cover according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said plies has a roughened outer surface. 